


The Odd's of Getting to Know You

by Vel_Rose



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Ben is a slave driver, Devoted Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, F/M, HEA, He likes being called 'Sir', He's called Mr. Solo, Lawsuits, Misunderstandings, Rey is the PA, Skinny love?, Snoke is a pos, Soft Ben Solo, it's cute at the end i promise, personal assistant au, soft smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-19
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2021-03-04 17:33:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,322
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25370182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vel_Rose/pseuds/Vel_Rose
Summary: So I think to myself one day: What if Rey had feelings for her boss, but did the right thing about her feelings? What if Ben decided to say screw that?
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 5
Kudos: 83





	The Odd's of Getting to Know You

Cold-brew Colombian coffee with foam on top with a side breakfast sandwich of egg whites, mushrooms, and spinach in a whole grain tortilla. For herself, a medium cup of vanilla or caramel iced coffee with a dollop of whipped cream atop, and a cranberry bagel with cream cheese. 

This was her order every morning from the coffee shop a block from her office. Every morning at 6:50 she would click her heels on the nice wooden floor of the chique coffee shop and tea house, smiling brightly at the barista working behind the counter, usually Kay, and take her premade order back to her office. 

Rush hour in the elevators began at 7, as the office day began 30 minutes after the hour. The short trip was unbothersome and uncrowded, most souls still in traffic or just waking up for the day. She always assumed the early bird schedule for one reason and one reason only. 

That reason was scowling over her desk at a spreadsheet she had pulled to brief for the Monday morning. When the elevator doors made their soft chime, the rigid and mountainous form of her employer Mr. Solo turned on heel to regard her. 

She met his grumpy frown and pensive stare with a bright smile and sparkling eyes as she handed him his coffee and breakfast, "Good morning, Sir," 

"Miss Niima, where is the 7:15 meeting I had with the executive of Star Fighter industries?" His was a common greeting, kinder than usual.

"Rescheduled for next week, Sir, Mrs. Paloma got in a car accident over the weekend, a replacement for the meeting has yet to be determined," Rey circled her desk, setting her breakfast down and watching as he peered down at the spreadsheet she had completed last night. 

Long ago she had stopped attempting to pull him into a PowerPoint for his week, the first 30 minutes of his morning spared with a visit to her desk. She woke up her computer and sipped at her frappuccino as her boss harumphed at the paper before him. 

The crinkle of the paper bag in his grasp could be heard, and a quick glance to his face confirmed a flash of frustration. Rey turned and gave him her full attention, "Something of note for this week, Sir, Friday is a federal holiday, most staff will be home with their families for an extended weekend," 

"And the essential staff?" 

"Myself, the IT team, and the security desk will still be here," he gave another one of his hmms before curling his lip and stepping back from her desk. Briefly, his eyes flashed over her form and for a moment his gaze softened from the furrowed brow and semi scowl on his face. Rey nearly lived for that moment of approval from him but held her gleeful smile until he turned and marched into his office. 

Rey took her own considering look at the week's calendar, she began to open and organize her own projects in tandem with meetings Mr. Solo needed to attend. There was the expense report rebuttal with the head of the financial office that needed some verbiage editing. Then, there were the drafted charts for projected company growth; personnel vs income. Then they had a meeting with the marketing team, this occurred every week and they usually had an absurd proposal to hurl at the boss for her to mitigate. On and off meetings with the remote district managers and business partners here and overseas. Then, finally on Thursday a meeting with the press regarding the company's most recent comments on the Snoke Scandal. 

Rey frowned at that entry, nearly having forgotten about it over her weekend off. 

The Snoke Scandal was an ongoing issue, tiresome, taxing, and outright frustrating for everyone within the company. Some employees had become targets of unhappy city-goers, Mr. Solo had even experienced a few feasible threats toward his person and home. 

Alistar Snoke was a terrible man and ran his business like a corrupt crime syndicate. He had siphoned so much money from the pockets of his employees and abused the economy under his power to the point of breaking. He had harassed his employees, threatened their livelihood, embezzled millions of dollars, consorted with offshore dealers and businesses to circulate his money, created false charities and so much more. 

The man was going to prison for life, everyone knew that, but the investigation was ongoing and the final court ruling wasn't for several more months. 

Mr. Solo had been under Snoke as an executive in the legal office, he himself had been pulled into Snoke's schemes, and some even said he had led a few of the overt and illegal activities. Mr. Solo had made one address to the company, a short one-page explanation to the former Snoke employees and it was all they needed. 

Mr. Solo did not confirm or deny his involvement but said he would actively contribute to the collapse of Snoke's influence. He cautioned his employees to think logically, and take their own measures to make the company a better place under Mr. Solo, and reimagine what a good leader should be. 

Everyone would agree he had turned the company around, made a good leader. Most just considered him a hard ass. 

Rey turned and caught the printed pages for the 9 o'clock meeting with the marketing team, trapping them in a folder labeled with purple plastic tabs and a sticky pad. Armed with note-taking items and the remnants of her coffee, she moved over to conference room 2 and slid into the glass office with ease. 

She had moments to set up before Mr. Solo entered, followed by the small 5 person marketing team. As usual, he sat at the head of the table, and she beside him paying close attention to the proposals of the team and their enthusiastic display before inputting her own straightforward and realistic thinking and planning. Mr. Solo watched all of it carefully, never taking notes, as it was her job even while presenting. 

Questions were pointedly answered, and most went on without issue. In the end, it was decided that with downward trends in stocks and references to the company, a new supportive image was to be compiled and coordinated with the public affairs and financial teams. 

An hour later, the meeting with finance, and it went much the same. A brief presentation on both sides, a collaboration of ideas, reasonable changes, and a way forward. 

Their day continued as such. All of it nearly monotonous but vital to the company and its head. Even as 4 o'clock rolled about on the analog, and Rey's watch ticked with its soft clicks, they still sat in meetings. It was the point in the day where the last meetings would feel the longest and most short notice before she had the leisure of returning to her desk. 

Her eyes flicked down at her watch again, frowning at the minute hand and its placement, the words from the public affairs team a blurb in her brain. Lips pressed together with a sigh escaping her nose, she glanced over at her boss. 

She blinked, the man was already looking at her, rather pointedly at that. Rey straightened, feeling as though she missed something, "I'm sorry, could you repeat that?" 

The presenter, a meek young man clearly new to the position seemed to stutter, swallowing before doing just that. Rey got the feeling she missed a rather large piece of what was discussed, "As I've said, in light of the reporter scheduled to come in on Thursday, we will need to prepare our leadership and employees on what to expect in regards to questioning. But, we also need to be mindful of your image Mr. Solo," The young man took a breath, Rey frowned confused with the line of the presentation. She looked over to her boss, who was surprisingly stony-faced with the exception of a brow raise. 

"It is the matter of your personal life, Sir," Rey bristled, this was not a topic for discussion. "the public views you as a hard man, one just as ruthless as Snoke," Rey flinched, this boy was going to lose his job, "the public affairs team suggests that you do something to be involved with the community, give back somehow, give a display that you are nothing like-"

"Get out," Mr. Solo said. Rey went rigid, having heard that tone only a handful of times. She tried not to close her eyes and sigh in pity for the young man at the receiving end for their boss's rage. 

"What?" 

"Pack your office and get out, you have one hour to meet with my assistant and the head of HR before you leave, is that clear?" The young man was speechless but managed to nod and gather his files wordlessly. 

Rey sat with Mr. Solo in silence as the conference room door clicked shut, and they sat there for minutes before Mr. Solo spoke, "Tell me what he did wrong," 

"Mention of your previous employer, the insinuation that you are one and the same, as well as a suggestion that you have yet to change the workplace and the opinion of outside agencies," Rey stared down at her pen pad, at the long dried ink. 

"Have I not changed the company?" His voice was deceptively soft, Rey raised her eyes to his and kept her features schooled, 

"From what I understand Sir, it is the persistent voice of very few that encroach upon your reputation. Others have glowing reviews of your work here," And she was being honest, but one could never make everyone happy. Mr. Solo was still staring at the presentation podium, a tick in his jaw

Rey slowly curled her fingers around her presentation folders and prepared to brace. While he had never hurt her or thrown anything her way, there were reports from HR in the past that she had been made aware of. Still, knowing this, she flinched when all of his own office supplies were wiped off the table and thrown to the floor in a whip-like display of rage. 

Mr. Solo stood up and straightened his suit before speaking again, "I expect completed reports from today's meetings on my desk before you go home tonight," 

"Yes Sir," Rey sat ram-rod straight, 

"And order something to eat, there was no break today," 

"Yes Sir," She watched him vanish like a storm through the conference room doors and down the hall to his office. Her eyes drifted to his strewn about papers and a sigh fell from her mouth. 

After a late lunch and early dinner of a cranberry and turkey sandwich, and ordered club sandwiches for Mr. Solo, followed on by several hours of typing, editing, drafting, and proof-reading. Rey compiled a small stack of folders all labeled with sticky notes of their contents. 

She set the folders aside and cleaned her desk space, shredding papers she didn't need, and saving every document she needed for the next day. A message popped on her desktop screen, an office chat space used within the company, an agent from HR by the name of Rose. 

Rey took a moment to smile and read the message, 'Drinks at the Castle tonight!'

'what time'

'9, you better be there, everyones going'

'maybe'

'oh no, stuck with the beast again?'

'he's not a beast'

'right, just like ur not beauty'

'rose'

'see you at 9 Rey!'

Rey frowned, gathering up the files Mr. Solo asked for and rising from her desk. 

It was a short walk to his office, but it always managed to unnerve her. As a new assistant having seen the last one run crying for the elevator, Rey had been petrified of approaching his office. She had heard he was a violent man and swore to herself that if he showed any aggression towards her she would walk out. 

Even now, years later Rey still held onto that resolve and had yet to shake that nervous feeling. Rey entered his office with a knock and had to pause for a moment. 

Mr. Solo was a hard-working man, she knew this. She knew that the hours he clocked in every month totaled numbers over 200, she knew that he had a lot to do between his personal life, managing multiple companies, and trying to fix a workforce that didn't recognize his sacrifices for them. 

Still, to see the effects of all that responsibility was a rarity, save for his temper. As he was now, the man and his large frame hunched over his work desk, the blue and green screen of his desktop glowing against his dress shirt which was unshielded by a coat. 

Mr. Solo was focused on the task at hand, gripping a pen white-knuckled with his shirt sleeves rolled to his elbows and his unusually tousled hair hanging over his eyes. His face was so close to the paper he was reading she worried his nose would touch the surface of his desk. Rey frowned and found herself turning on the low lights of his office, mindful of the sun that had long since set. 

The sudden light made him blink up at her, and for a moment, his look was guarded, jaded even. Then she shut the door behind her and approached his desk and the look was gone, "Your reports, Sir," 

"What time is it?" He asked, taking the folders and fingering through them, her watch ticked quietly as she read the dial, "7:27 Sir," Rey dropped her wrist, taking in the disarray of his desk, "Plan for a long night, sir?" 

"There's a legal and investigative team that wants to comb through my office in search for incriminating information, Snoke wants to bring me down with him," Rey stayed silent, unsure how to speak on his personal matter. 

Mr. Solo ran a hand down his face before tangling his fingers in the hair above his ears. Upon closer inspection, his normally sharp dark eyes were dull and droopy, accented by a light bruising beside his nose from rubbing and lack of sleep. The man looked exhausted. 

"You look tired Sir," The words slipped from her mouth softly, mental consent half-finished before she could stop, "What can I do to help?" 

Mr. Solo gazed up at her, weary but determined to complete his day. He almost looked like he would ask for assistance, "Go home, Miss Niima," 

"If you won't let me help you, then take a break," she eyed the legal documents he appeared to be pouring over, taking one thick stack in hand and noting every single highlighted block for initials and a signature. She didn't know much about legal affairs, but she knew it was exhausting. 

"Miss Niima," He pouted, not putting up much of a fight. she pulled other legal documents from his grasp, organizing them into piles of things completed and yet to be. 

"My friends are going out tonight, and have invited me, I would feel better knowing you are taking a break, even if I have to keep an eye on you," He almost appeared to smirk, a light crinkle by his eyes and the lift of the corner of his mouth. Years ago, Rey might have faced the cold streets without a job for speaking this way, but she knew Mr. Solo. 

His posture changed as soon as they fell into his car. His hands rested on the leather wheel, his shoulder slumped, and his expression worn and weary. She worried for his health more than she worried for her own, many would call Mr. Solo a slave driver, cold, standoffish, a true authority as brutal as Snoke in his demands. They were wrong, Rey knew, because she worked with the man every day, grabbed his coffee, earned his praises, earned his trust, his weaknesses, his exhaustion. He worked just as hard as the next person because he believed his company could be better, that he could be better, she admired him for that. 

* * *

The Snoke case remained brutal until the very end, after the visit from the journalist on Thursday, and the paper published the following Monday, employees that used to feel secure in their jobs now no longer had one. 

Despite the many briefings with management, HR, and the legal team, some employees had not listened to the warnings that the media would spin whatever tale they wanted. And that was to dub Mr. Solo a beast. The article was less than flattering, and both stocks and sales had gone down enough that the financial and marketing team looked like ghouls wandering the halls in search of something to do to fix it. 

Not to mention nearly all of the overseas partners had inquired about it, some of them even withdrawing support until the court verdict and investigative results became clear. It was a heavy blow to the company and a bad day for everyone involved. 

Rey did her best to smile throughout the weeks, to come in each weekend and say hi to all of the essential weekend staff pulling every string in the book to keep the reputation of the company in a positive light. The air of the office was almost so consuming with a frantic energy that she almost missed the little bell and dot on her planner. 

Her eyes widened a fraction, and the storm of people surrounding her came to a lul in her brain. 

Tomorrow was Mr. Solo's 33rd birthday. 

All of her projects were put on pause, they could afford to wait. Her mind heavy with the image of a too tired man almost leaning on his desk as he went through legal papers. Of a man who slumped into her questioning arms in his car when she said they didn't need to go to a bar. A man who did his best to change awful policies for people who thought less of him. 

She knew his favorite flavor already, had nicked it from a conversation he'd been having with his mother several years before. The only conversation, really. He was a strawberry shortcake kind of man, and she knew just the place. 

The order was made with her personal card, a moderately large cake from her personal favorite bakery. The owner an older woman who refused to tell anyone her secrets. 

Throughout the rest of the day she was unable to focus, having requested a huge favor from the bakery, and the panicked movements of others around her, she found the only thing that grounded her were the two closed doors of her boss. 

The next morning she had gotten up early to grab the cake, a card, and some candles to light. She set up at her desk before lighting them, smiling to herself the whole time. 

The cake was large and heavy in her arms, and she had to kick the door to knock at it. 

Several beats later a rustling came, and then a woman answered the office door. Rey frowned initially, trying to remember if he had scheduled an early meeting. Then she looked closer. 

Platinum blonde, sharp smile, killer heels, and the fade of a hickey at the base of her ear. Rey felt her cheeks and chest heat in embarrassment. Mr. Solo had never had a woman in his office, not in the unprofessional sense, and she had never heard mention of a girlfriend or spouse. 

"Miss Niima, what is it?" Came his gruff voice, and her sparkling brown eyes moved to molten chocolate. His hair was a mess, his clothing rumpled, had they...? She nearly dropped the cake, eyes wide in shock, mind whirring. 

"Sir," She gasped out, "I-" her eyes flicked to the woman, who stared down at her like a predatory bird waiting to pick at her flesh, "The office wanted to wish you a happy birthday," She fumbled with the cake cover, revealing the beautiful white cream, smattered with pink and red strawberries, decorated with sprigs of mint and sugar. 

His face remained stony, and he hardly spared it a glance, "The office can eat it, I am not to be disturbed until the lunch hour, understood?" 

She hardly had time to nod before he shut the door in her face. 

For several long moments, Rey stood stock still before the double doors that had given her comfort on her worst days, wishing that the man on the other side would acknowledge her beyond another task. Instead, she stood alone, only the ticking of her wrist-watch to keep her company. 

The cake was nearly gone by lunch, she had taken a slice because she had paid for it, but felt little hunger and little motivation to eat despite that. Instead, her eyes were locked unseeing on her desktop screen, her fingers hadn't typed one sentence on the address to their foreign partners. She had so much to do, most of it to help him run the company, and yet her usual kick hadn't started. 

Was something wrong with her? 

Rey leaned back, turning and looking at his office doors for the thousandth time that day, the woman had yet to leave. The thought made her shoulders tense. So what if they were together? He could be unprofessional behind closed doors, it was his damn building. 

She didn't realize she was glowering until Rose from HR stopped by her desk, "So whose birthday is it Rey?" 

"Was the cake good?" Rey asked, shaken from her thoughts, 

"Excellent, where'd you get it from?" 

"The bakery down the street from my apartment, I've known the owner for a while now and she's never let me down," Rey looked over at her own uneaten slice and frowned a bit. Mentally worrying her lip with her teeth, "Say, Rose, do you know if Mr. Solo got a piece yet?" Instantly her friend's approachable demeanor hardened. 

Even if she teased Rey relentlessly over her relationship with Mr. Solo, it didn't mean that Rose _liked_ the man. 

Rose gave a noncommital shrug, "No one has seen him, better get him a piece before it's gone," her words emphasized with a stab of her plastic fork prongs through the spongy cake. Rey nodded, while it wasn't _technically_ a waste of her hard-earned money feeding the office and all, it was Mr. Solo's birthday, and if he didn't try his cake, she wasn't sure she'd be satisfied. 

It didn't matter if that woman hadn't left his office, or that the lunch hour had already passed. Rey steeled herself as just his assistant and shoved away the uncomfortable rolling in her gut, she cut him a pretty piece with a strawberry sliced rose on the corner and moved carefully down the hall to the closed doors of his office. 

Once again the doors loomed over her, imposing and making her spine pinch with nerves, Rey withheld a shudder and rapped her knuckles against the wood, waiting for her call to enter. 

Once again, the door was opened by not Mr. Solo, but the woman who had been with him since the start of the day, "What do you want?" She asked, authoritative and no-nonsense speaking, Rey was shocked for a moment. 

"Well? Spit it out," The woman demanded, narrowing her eyes on Rey's frazzled expression, 

"I have a slice of the cake from earlier-for Mr. Solo?" Was it a question? Rey's brows pinched a moment at her behavior,

"What is it, Miss Niima?" Came Mr. Solo's tired voice, and he suddenly appeared in the doorway. 

"Sir, I got you a slice from the cake, it's going quickly and I thought-"

" _I_ thought I told you I'm not to be disturbed until lunch," HIs voice was strained, and Rey blinked in surprise, brows knitting together, Mr. Solo is a punctual man if anything, what could have distracted him from the time? 

"Mr. Solo, the lunch hour passed two hours ago," she informed him softly, still clutching the small paper plate in her hands. She watched as the man lifted his wrist to check the dial, and took a closer look at his appearance. 

His clothes were rumpled, and from here, she could smell a hint of musk and sweat over the deep cologne he usually wore. His tie was also absent. A quick flick of her gaze to the woman and a closer inquisitive study made her stomach plummet to the floor. Smeared makeup, rumpled clothes, hastily restored hair. Had they been...

Heat flushed her body, her spine going ramrod straight, eyes burning with glossy unshed tears, "Perhaps I should take this," The woman said, removing the plate from her grasp, taking the plastic fork dressed with cake and lifting it to her lips. 

That was Mr. Solo's cake. 

"Miss Niima," His ragged breath came, and she turned her attention to him, "Go home for the day, cancel all appointments for today as well, and make a note that I am not to be disturbed," 

Go home? She found herself nodding regardless, "Yes sir," He never sent her home. 

She stood at his door long after it shut in her face for the second time that day. Her shoulders trembled against her own accord, and she wondered why the scene before her had bothered her so much. 

Mechanically, Rey returned to her desk, neatly folding herself into her office chair, and stared at the computer screen, at the unfinished address to the overseas partners, a plea really, to reconsider withdrawing from the company in light of media attention. 

She would complete this and then go home. 

Try as she might, however, she stayed seated at her desk, unproductive for an entire 30 minutes, fingers frozen over her keyboard as her eyes burred the screen. 

An elevator ding pulled her back to her desk, and she looked around her, eyes landing on the cake, uneaten at her side. Gingerly, she lifted a bite to her lips, tasting it and letting the handcrafted delicacy roll over her tongue, then promptly dropped it into the trash beside her. 

It tasted of soap. 

* * *

Alone at her apartment, after a silent drive in a usually loud with music car, Rey sat curled on her couch, thumbing her phone and watching the time. At 7 PM, Mr. Solo would be closing up for the night. 

'Rey where'd you go today?' A message chimed from Rose, Rey contemplated. 

'Home early, did you need something?' 

'dont u use that office voice with me what happened' 

'Mr. Solo sent me home early today.'

'....' Rose typed, a moment passed, and then '>:c WHAT'

'He had a woman there with him.'

'WHAT is that supposed to mean?!' Rey paused, why _did_ it matter? Why had she brought that up? 

'What is the policy for workplace relationships Rose?'

'omfg Rey what are you thinking' 

'I think I have feelings for Mr. Solo...'

Rose had shown up at her door in her pajamas, hair a mess, a bookbag of wine, movies, and sweets not 30 minutes later. A mix of anger and concern written on her face with a pout to her lips. Moments later, both women were huddled together in the living room, wrapped in blankets with a bottle of wine between them. 

"What happened, Rey?" Rose asked, watching Rey stumble over the right words, 

"I... I'm not sure," She began, sinking further into the blanket around her, "I might be jealous," 

"Of that woman?" 

"They looked like they had sex, Rose, _in his office_ ," Rey sipped her wine pitifully, hardly believing she was saying any of this out loud, "I mean, who am I to judge his workplace habits? He owns the company and can sleep with whomever he wants, I just- I just..." She shook her head, "I don't understand what's wrong with me, I'm his _assistant_ for fucks sake," 

"You're in love with him, that's what," Rose murmured, taking a sip of her own wine and fingering a cookie in her free hand. 

Love? That's what had made her stomach roll and her taste buds die? Love had paralyzed her in front of another woman who had a hickey on her neck. Did love make you feel as trapped or conflicted as she felt? Rey wasn't sure, her experience with the word limited to movies or novels. But Rose seemed to think this was the answer, so she took it.

After a moment of silence, Rose spoke up again, "I can't for the life of me understand what you see in him," Rey frowned, ready to defend him even with her conflicted feelings, "But!" Rose started, "I see that he really means something to you. Even so, Mr. Solo had workplace policy changed to reflect those workplace relationships were absolutely inappropriate, and cause for termination," Rey nearly balked, _termination_? 

"Then-" 

"I think you should talk to someone Rey, other than me, and get your feelings out there," Rose made a face, one of discomfort as though the words she was going to say bothered her, "I know that you like him a lot Rey and that you're always putting him and the company before your personal needs, so I need you to consider something," Rose took a breath, 

"Mr. Solo is going through a rigorous lawsuit right now, against a man that wants to tear everything Mr. Solo's built since he became CEO. And because of that bastard Snoke, the media is eating Mr. Solo _alive_ , just _think_ about what they would say if they found out you two were an item, against his _own_ policy." 

Rey nodded, Rose was absolutely right. Regardless of her newly discovered feelings for the man (though she suspected she had always felt this way on some level), it would outright sabotage him, and the company he was working to rebuild. She could already see the headlines of some seedy magazine, turning a minor workplace issue into a scandal to slander his name. The best option was for her to keep her feelings hidden. 

The brief thought of resignation crossed her mind, but she worried that the company would suffer, and by extension, Mr. Solo would suffer if she left her position unattended during this lawsuit. No, she would stay and be the excellent assistant she had been since day one. 

"You're right, Rose," Rey gave a watery smile, even with her resolve made, "Thank you for listening," and her friend, sensing a need for relaxation, smiled and chirped, 

"Absolutely, you know I love you, now let's watch some cheesy movies." 

Work the next day was tiresome, she was late delivering his morning coffee and hadn't slept well the night before, questioning if staying was the right thing to do. Fortunately for her, Mr. Solo hadn't arrived at the office yet, and she was given the advantage of settling in and getting busy before he walked in. 

She was in the middle of pulling his revised schedule for the day when he stepped through the elevators, Rey looked up, drawing a smile to her face and faltering, the man looked like he hadn't slept for days, dark circles under his eyes, a strange gauntness to his cheeks and hair matted in some places. He looked unpolished, so different from the man she knew, and now _loved._

Mentally prepared to give him her morning spiel and greeting, she parted her lips and tasted _perfume_. Her eyes widened a fraction, and hot shame and jealousy crawled up her cheeks, her brain focused on trying to remember if the woman from yesterday wore perfume. 

"Miss Niima," he said by way of greeting, and lifted his coffee to his lips, watching her with a raised eyebrow, expectant. 

"Good morning sir," She choked out, rising too quickly to be natural and grabbing the planner before her, "You have a few meetings today, starting with the legal team, followed by advertising, finances and a conference with our overseas partners regarding funding," She watched his lips twitch to a frown, 

"Of course," He muttered, sipping his coffee again, "Have that address ready by the time the conference is started, you will be reading it to each CFO and CEO there," and without waiting for her acknowledgment, he vanished behind the doors to his office. 

Moments after the door had shut, and a loop of another woman's scent playing in her brain, Rey's only thought was: _I can't do this_. 

* * *

Address in hand, Rey owned the conference with the other partners, answering questions with ease and guiding the conversation with a positive note, even expertly dismantling any uneasy question about the lawsuit, or what came after. Overall, she felt she instilled a sense of confidence in the company, and that a meeting such as that wouldn't be necessary in the future. 

after the phone call, which was after the normal office hours ended, she stood in the conference room clutching papers to her chest, holding her breath as Mr. Solo spoke casually with a few remaining coworkers from the financial and legal department. 

It was only when all had vacated the room with the exception of herself and Mr. Solo that he seemed to truly regard her. He was seated at the end of the table, the sun setting beside him and painting his usual greys in a strange peach hue. He pursed his lips a moment, raising a brow, "Was there something else Miss Niima?" 

Suddenly, all her gained confidence from the conference had vanished, and she wet her lips nervously. Somehow, she found her voice, gripping the resignation letter and crumpling the sheet, "Sir, there's something I'd like you to see," she stepped forward and handed him her letter, watching his eyes rove over the paper, his brows furrowing. 

"What is this?" He hissed, confused before looking at her and silently demanding an answer, 

"I'm resigning, sir," She nearly whispered, 

"Clearly," He scoffed, standing in a hurry, face painted with the sun and anger, "Why." 

Why? Rey blinked, moving back against the table as he cornered her, clutching the paper with a half fist, "The letter has more details-"

"I want to hear you say it," He demanded, voice grating and low on her nerves, she shuddered at the sound reserved for those about to be fired. 

"I'm no longer comfortable here, in my position," His eyes flashed with something intense, "As such, I am opening the assistant slot for someone more suitable-" 

"Is it because of the lawsuit?" Rey blinked, 

"What?"

"It is, isn't it?" The words were an ugly sneer, and should have prepared her for what he said next, "You're just like everyone else, disloyal, a coward who runs when your job gets hard," 

Her cheeks lit aflame, angered by the preposterous accusation. Rey was many things, but a coward was not one of them, "How dare you," She hissed, narrowing her eyes, having half a mind to slap the man before her, "I have been nothing but supportive since-nothing but excellent at my job! I've kept the company running in your stead!" 

The already tense room lit on fire, suffocating and heated and ready to explode within a moment's notice. 

"I bet he's paid you off, just like everyone else in this fucking city," He whirled on her, so convinced she was against him, "He was smart to target someone I trust, I should have fucking known you'd turn on me too, nothing you say can be taken at face value," 

"You insufferable-I'm in love with you!" 

Then the room's explosive tension snapped, the fuse snuffed out with her cry. 

Mr. Solo had paused, confused, and angry, hurt written on his face, still being chased by betrayal. There were no words to be said, nothing escaped either person in that moment, each searching the other with wild eyes. The only thing interfering was the wet tears sliding down her face. 

Rey blinked, a fresh rush of heated tears on her cheeks as she croaked, "I'm in love with you, and I can't...." She shook her head at his blank expression, "I can't work here with you, knowing you have..." Her words halted in her throat, a soft cry escaping instead. 

Entirely unaware of her trembling until his warm hand anchored on her waist, thumb and fingers spread to span half her body, Gods he was so _large._ Rey shook her head again, delighted at feeling him touch her for the first time and angry that it was while she was resigning. Then his fingers touched her chin, cupping it gently with rough fingers and turning her face up to him. 

Her eyes opened slowly, vision blurry and lashes sticky but she knew he was a breath away, he was so handsome, even this close, and her own hands gripped the table behind her, afraid that if she touched him, the spell would be broken. 

Eyes shut again when he leaned in, his breath fluttering over her puffy lips before he gingerly kissed her, holding her perched in place while he melded their lips together. 

Tasting him was like the cream on strawberry shortcake, tart and sweet and distinctly _him_. A breath fluttered from her chest, glad to finally be with him. It was on the following inhale of perfume that the reality hit her in the chest. 

Rey turned her head, breaking the kiss, missing the hurt expression on his face, the words watery on her own tongue, "I will not be the other woman," and hurried from his grasp, outside of the conference room and into the elevator. She wasn't sure she breathed until she was seated in her car. 

The full force of her choice hit her when she walked through the door of her apartment, her eyes having taken in her small haven of luxury and safe space. How will she be able to afford this place now that she'd resigned? Rey had a nest egg she could dig into, but how long would that last? How could she guarantee another high paying position? Rey had actually _liked_ working for Mr. Solo. 

Slowly she slumped to the floor, the heel of her palm pressed between her brows and the other fingering her lips. Had he truly kissed her? He had been soft, questioning, gentle, and unsure with her, so unlike the demanding and decisive man she worked for. She had once imagined that kissing him would be like going to a debate, back and forth between them as he urged for more than she could give. 

She drew in a tired sigh, closing her eyes and resting her head back against the door. There was no going back now, especially because he kissed her, there would be no room for a professional relationship between them. 

With that in mind, the next best action would be job hunting. But first, she needed to mope in the shower, the last few days having been a whirlwind on her emotions. 

Rey quietly undressed another strange silence in a space of off-key humming and half words to whatever song played. The water was mercifully hot, scalding the surface of her skin enough to draw a slow hiss between her teeth and pinken her skin. She took her time washing, watching the suds vanish down the drain with a strange haze over her brain, her hands trailing over her cures and pointedly ignoring the natural slick between her legs. 

Her towels were a housewarming gift from Rose, a luxurious fluff that she wrapped around her body, padding her wet feet over to her bedroom and letting the steam from the bathroom escape into the hall. She didn't bother with the ceremony of dressing and simply planted her face into the bed, crawling on top of her comforter and laying there. 

* * *

Over a period of several days, Rey cleaned her apartment, searched for a newer cheaper alternative, and applied to several PA listings in her area, none of which paid nearly as much as Mr. Solo had. Several texts had been sent between her and Rose, and several more had been received from an automated number from the company informing her of the terms surrounding her last paycheck. 

She felt she was getting somewhere with her choice, moving on from Mr. Solo, who had not contacted her once since then. She did her best to push him from her mind, even if her previously mundane fantasies had transformed into his lush lips on hers, on her skin, between her legs, or his calloused hands holding her shoulders down and hard voice demanding she call him 'sir'. She would never see the man again anyway, and that was for the best. 

For now, with her most recent day having been spent cleaning, she was ready to relax and had ordered in some Thai food, eagerly awaiting the sting of some coconut soup. Her butt was planted firmly in the cushions of her couch, a blanket about her shoulders, reading one of her romance novels when knocks landed on the door. 

She eyed the cash tip on the counter, ensuring she was presentable enough and grabbed it before opening. 

The man on the other side was not holding food, nor was he a delivery guy. She was not presentable for this.

"Miss Niima," came his croak, a soft sigh of surprise and hesitance. Still, he looked good standing there in his stupid three-piece suit. 

"Mr. Solo," She answered, trying to hold up her careful facade of apathy, even if her carefully constructed wall of recovery shattered on the inside, "What are you doing here?" 

"I need to speak with you-" He glanced around him almost suspiciously, "Can I come in?" How could she say no? Wordlessly she opened the door wider, stepping aside for his tall form to brush past. When she turned to close it, she noticed his eyes lingered on her casual clothes, an oversized t-shirt and a pair of sweats. She had the decency to flush with embarrassment, "Well then?" 

"Right," He nodded as if shaking himself from a daze, his eyes met hers, "Come back to the office Miss Niima," The words made her stiffen, 

"I can't," 

"You can, I've thought about your reasons, and I'm confident in your ability to be professional," 

"No _Mr. Solo_ , I _can't_ ," She repeated, willing him to understand, "Sir, your confidence aside, I cannot work there after what transpired in the conference room, if _anyone_ caught on to what happened and my position under you, it would destroy you," 

"I can get rid of it, it never happened," She winced, and his eyes widened, "No-No not like- _fuck_ ," He ran both hands back through his hair, pulling and twisting away from her for a moment, she took that moment to explain with a shaky tone, 

"Sir," She began, unable to hold the formality after so many years, "the lawsuit that you're involved in, the way that Snoke has been targeting you, we can't give the press ammunition to tear you apart," She gripped the hem of her shirt, attempting to stamp down her anxiety, "You know your own policy about workplace relationships, and even if nothing happened between us, I still have... I still have feelings for you," 

"Rey," And oh did her name on his tongue sound divine, "Please, the office needs you, it doesn't function the same with you gone, this lawsuit wouldn't have gone as well as it has if you hadn't defended me from the press from the start," 

"So you want your cover back, is that it?" She asked, the cold tone surprising both of them, 

"Is that what you think?" He whirled on her, bewildered,

"What other reason could there be?" Her voice gained the hard edge of hurt, and she dug in, "I have defended you left and right since the day I started, I have drafted your alibi's, dug through corporate records, parlayed with the media, and faced down that asshole Snoke all in an effort to clear your name, you need that support, no matter how you treat me," He tensed at her words, 

"You're so much more than that," He whispered, " _Don't_ twist my words Rey, the position of an assistant is not why I'm here, it was never why... It's you damnit, _you're_ the thing that holds the company together, you hold _me_ together, damn your position to hell Rey, I need you back in my life in any way that you'll give it. You're a damn good assistant and an exemplary person, that you would throw it away because _I_ was the one making a mistake and not seeing what was always in front of me..." and the words she had longed to hear made the tears pour from her eyes, so sweet did they settle over her bristled heart, and still she held onto her anger, 

"Yes, tell me all of these things and hide that I'm the other woman, you don't need to tell me these honeyed words, I know I'm just another hot piec-"

"You're not _just_ anything," His words flew into the space between them with a conviction that paralyzed her, his hands moved to grab her wrists, palms encasing them with steady pressure, grounding. He dipped his head down, sharing breath with her and spoke lowly, "Come back to the office, come with me, _please,_ I need you," 

Up close, the offer was tempting, to continue getting his Colombian cold brew with foam, to attend meetings with him, and structure his workday. To be the team they were. She shook her head slightly, "I can't ignore my feelings, and I can't be your dirty little secret, be the homewrecker," 

"Rey," He breathed, eyes searching hers, "There is no other woman, I don't know where you got that from," 

"The woman in your office, the one you slept with?" Rey asked, eyes wide and disbelieving, 

"What?" 

"Tall, blond hair, _intimidating_?" She stared up at him, watching as he pieced it together, 

"She's not _anything_ to me, Rey, not romantically," Rey shook her head, pulling back from his grasp, her back finding her door as she tried to duck away from him,

"No-please don't _lie_ to me-" _I'm not stupid_. His fingers caught her elbow, pulling her back closer, stepping into her space, dipping his head down to her ear, 

"Please I'm telling the truth-" _believe me, please._ Her fingers fisted into his perfectly pressed suit coat, trembling as his chest rumbled, 

"Just go- I can't Ben-" _not when you can't be mine._ And then his lips were on hers again, and this time she melted into his lips, surrendering with a soft whine, 

"Please Rey," He panted against her lips, slanting kisses into her mouth, devouring her soft noises, tasting the pleas on her tongue. His hands were like fire on her body, pressing and groping and squeezing her _closer_ and against the door. 

Her nails dug into his shoulders, scraped his scalp, fingers fisted in his luscious hair, and pulled earning a hum of approval from his throat. His knee wedged between her legs, lifting to between where she was already coiled tight. Her hips canted up to his, pelvis bumping his belt, his lips searing a path back to her ear, down her throat, a gasp tore as he thrust against her, " _Ben_ -I need-" 

In a sweeping movement, a growl sounded, a soft squeak and a gasp, and the door to her bedroom slipped shut until late the next morning. 

* * *

After some persuasion (read sex, relationship declarations, and many, many explanations), nearly a week later Rey was on Ben Solo's arm entering the lounge of some extravagant hotel. They were headed towards two seated individuals, both stark contrasts of class even surrounded by crystal and marble, the woman she recognized, _Phasma_ her mind supplied. The redheaded man she did not, if excellence and good breeding had a word, it was the gentleman with a pipe in his mouth. 

Both stood up at their approach, and Rey tried not to feel underdressed in their presence, Ben was the one to speak first, "Phasma, you've already met Rey, but a proper introduction might be necessary," 

The woman, blonde and still intimidating, nodded once and held out a hand for Rey to shake, "Yes, birthday cake girl, I apologize for my mood that day, as Ben's lawyer I've had a bit on my plate as of late, that day was no exception,"

"A pleasure to finally associate a face to a name, I'm Rey," 

"You have yet to meet with my financial advisor, as well," Ben continued, the redhead almost seemed disturbed at the title, but shook Rey's hand gently regardless, 

"More of his public fence and affairs manager than anything else, the name's Armitage, my dear," He pulled back with a charming smile and put his hands in his pockets as though his pants didn't cost a months rent, 

"Shall we go? I hope everyone's hungry," Ben stated, walking further in to the lounge, 

"The night before a legal takedown always leaves me insatiable," Phasma stated, earning a chuckle from Armitage, 

"I do hope your pockets are deep enough for her," The redhead supplied, 

"It'll be more than fine, besides, I have to compensate somehow for getting rid of that bastard," Ben sighed, looking over at Rey with a soft smile, she gave one back and squeezed his bicep where he held her. 

The small group was seated at a private booth, dim lights between them, and classy menus provided. A glass of champaign was provided for each of them, and Armitage was the first to move in, "I propose a toast, to the downfall of that snake we all used to work for," 

"To a life of success while he rots behind bars for eternity," Phasma added, 

"And to new beginnings," Ben chimed in at last, eyes soft on Rey the whole time, 

"You're both disgusting," Armitage hissed, "Cheers." 

**Author's Note:**

> Hello wonderful people! Guess who has commitment issues to their larger projects and types up one-shots instead? This person. This person has commitment issues. 
> 
> Anyway, please let me know what you think, this piece has been on my mind for several months now, and I had been missing the final piece to get it rolling. I hope you enjoy it!


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